Flexible panel form for thin shells



April 12, 1966 P. GRAHAM 3,245,647

FLEXIBLE PANEL FORM FOR THIN SHELL Filed May 19, 1965 INVE NTO R. Phi/lip Graham RNEY United S ta'tes Patent 3,245,647 FLEXIBLE PANEL FGRM FOR THIN SHELLS Phillip Graham, 2825 Glenmore Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa.

' Filed May 19, 1965, Ser. No. 457,029

4 Claims. (Cl. 249--13) This invention relates to improvements in flexible form for molding thin shell building panels, including adjustable flexible elastic edge forms which can be used to cast curved and fiat, thin shell, reinforced panel sections of cementit-ious materials and plastics, which panel sections can be readily interlocked or bonded together to obtain an integral building shell of great strength. This invention is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application Seriall No. 418,494, filed December 15, 1964, entitled Flexible Panel Form for Thin Sheels. Applicant also claims rights to an earlier filing date to common subject matter that is described in the present application, which was also described in his application Serial No. 86,814, filed February 2, 1961, now Patent No. 3,161,938, entitled Flexible Panel Form for Thin Sheels,.and Serial No. 785,273, filed January 6, 1959, now Patent No. 2,971,237, entitled Flexible Building Panel Form. The appiicationSerial No. 418,494, is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 86,814. The application Serial No. 86,814 was a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 785,273.

This invention particularly refers to a highly eflicient and nearly foolproof, adjustable forming means that has durable elastic flexible edge forms that allow low cost, quick and accurate molding of various shapes and sizes of curved and fiat, precast, prestressed, reinforced thin shell concrete panel sections.

My Patent No. 3,154,888, entitled Building Construction, and my Patent No. 2,971,237, describe how panels formed with such flexible forms can be used to build shelters; in addition, these patents list my numerous related patents that supplement the flexible form means in building shelters.

The form means allows multiple curved thin shell, precast panels to be molded accurately at low cost. The form means allows accurate positioning of fastening means along the edges of the panels so the panels can be quickly and securely joined at erection. This fastening means allows precast sections to be erected dry with pins during inclement weather-grout mortar being inserted in the joints at a later suitable period. Non-elastic panel portions of the form means can be made of concrete; they can be used to mold the curved faces of the precast building panels, such concrete panel forms may be used as building panels after they have outlived their usefulness as forms.

The form means embodied in this invention is an improvement over the form means described in my copending application Serial No. 418,494 and my Patent No. 3,161,938, since it has low cost restrainers or holders, an improved spacer strand, and improved clevise type connectors, which coact with the spaced, improved one piece wire support-fasteners that were described in application Serial No. 418,494. These provide a means to hold the spacer strand to the reinforcing connectors and to hold the spacer strand and the reinforcing connectors to the fasteners, to restrain the connectors and the spacer strand from uncoupling from the supportfasteners until the restrainers automatically uncouple from the fasteners when a cured, precast panel is removed from the confines of the spaced fasteners. Thereby means are provided to allow the whole forming means and reinforcing to remain securely attached to each other while it it tilted or positioned vertically to avoid objectionable voids forming in the panel being cast, when the form means is arisen lc Patented Apr. 1965 being violently vibrated or so called shock vibrated. The

improvement also includes means to remove a cured panel while maintaining the fastener pins in undisturbed positions, with the restrainers holding the elastic edge form strip in engagement with the precast panel. This allows the elastic strip to be used to protect the panel edging during shipping and storage. This improvement eliminates manual effort that was required to unlock or uncouple the reinforcing connectors and the spacer strand from the fasteners shown in my Patent No. 3,161,938. Furthermore, this improvement eliminates the need to remove pins from the fasteners when the elastic form is to be held in place against the panel edging during shipping and storage, thereby maintaining a form set-up.

An object of my invention is to provide an efiicient, low cost, self-releasing restrainer or holder that has means to hold the reinforcing and spacer strand in engagernent with fasteners, until removal of a precast panel causes the restrainers to uncouple from the fasteners, without disturbing the fastener pins, and means to restrain an elastic edge form from disengaging from a cured panel when the panel is removed from the confines of the fasteners, so the elastic form can act as a protective edging.

Another object of my invention is to provide an eflicient curvable, elastic, flexible, edge form strip that is able to efficiently and accurately mold the edges of straight and curved, reinforced thin shell precast cementitious sections of various suitable widths, lengths and thicknesses, in cluding tapered thicknesses; furthermore, to provide selfuncoupling restrainers to hold form parts together, also means to quickly and accurately position connectors that are on the ends of the reinforcing.

Other objects of my invention will become more apparent from the following description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view showing flexible forms being used to mold a thin reinforced concrete section;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevational view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIGS. 1 and 3;,

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional View taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view showing details of the spacer strand;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 4, showing a wire support-fastener;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing details of a wire restrainer or lock.

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive show assemblies F1 and F2 in an arrangement for molding precast, prestressed, reinforced concrete panel sections 1. The assemblies are stacked on the base form 2. Additional assemblies may be stacked above the assembly F2. My Patents No. 3,161,938 and No. 2,971,237 describe such assemblies and their use in detail. The assembly F1 would enclose a spacer before a panel 1 is formed in it. Each of the assemblies F1 and F2 has a flexible adjustable elastic and resilient plastic or rubber edge form strip or gasket 3. After a panel 1 has cured, it may be removed from its form means so it can be used as a building panel. An assembly may also be kept with its form '3 intact with its panel 1, so the assembly, including its panel 1, may be used as a form until the panel portion deteriorates from usage or is no longer needed as a formthen the panel 1 may be removed from its form means and be used as a building panel. An assembly complete with a cured panel 1 can be used to mold a face of another panel 1. The stacked casting means allows the molding of accurate duplications of an intricately curved panel surface such as that of the base form 2 and a panel 1. An original or first panel 1 that is to be used as a portion of an additional form assembly may be molded on the form 2. The top surface of the panel 1 may be shaped with a screed or scraper.

When an original curved surface of the base form 2 is made, it may be duplicated in reverse by casting a female form on it, thus obtaining .male and female forms which may be used to mold additional forms or building panels. The lower facing of .a panel 1 is usable as a female form.

Intricately curved form assemblies with their elastic edging strips secured to the concrete panel form may be used as seed-like means to reproduce duplicate panel sec,- tions at a very low cost as compared to other casting methods. When an original intricately shaped panel is made in one casting yard, duplicate panels can be made and their forming means can be kept intact with panel edgings, so as to provide panels that can be shipped to other casting yards to be used as forms, thereby eliminating the need to make a temporary form 2 or the like.

The casting means shown causes the molding of identithe fragile concrete edges and the reinforcing connections:

from being damaged. The form 3 also shields the panel edges from mud, ice, and other objectionable elements.

The base form 2 may be made of concrete, plaster, or other suitable materials. A base form 2 that is made of quick setting plaster would be very practical, because plaster is low in cost, and it can be broken up after it has been used, so it can be used as a filler with new plaster to make a differently shaped form. The base form 2 has anchored to it template bar forms 2b and the like. The template bars may be fastened together such as by tack welding, to form a frame. The base 2 is anchored to a base plate (not shown), which allows the casting means to be portable.

The whole assembly may be suitably tilted, .or be mounted vertically, while casting to insure against 'voids forming in the side surfaces of the concrete panels, by diverting air pockets to edges where they can be eliminated or be compensated for with grouting in the field joint.

Template bars 2!) and the like maybe anchored with bolted tapered inserts 2g. The template bars 2b and the like have accurately spaced holes that are used to align and hold the wire support-fasteners 7 of the assembly F1 to the base 2. When bars 2b and the like are welded together to form a frame, the bolts may be rotated to disengage them from the inserts 2g, to allow the template bar frame to be removed with the form F1, when the Form Flt with a cured panel 1 encased in it, is to be used as a base form elsewhere.

The template bars may be omitted if it is preferred to fasten the assembly F1 direct to the base 2, with bolts engaging inserts in the base to hold the assembly.

The concrete for panel 1 of the assembly F1 can be poured within the confines of form 3 with the top surface of the panel being leveled with a screed, or the top surface may be molded by placing a completed assembly F2 on top of the assembly F1. When the top surface of a panel 1 is to be shaped With a Screed, the top portion of the form 3 may be depressed with a frame formed with template bars.

The form '3 and supplementary metal parts can be positioned to allow them to be used to mold concrete panels of various widths and various lengths in multiples of eight inches or other suitable modular units, also in various curvatures as Well as flat shapes; furthermore, the panels can be molded in various thicknesses with the form 3. The form 3 may be compressed to taper it to allow it to mold a tapered panel. The form 3 may be compressed to allow a range of depths for molding panels of suitable thicknesses for thin shell building construction. For example, a form 3 with an unrestrained depth of two and a quarterinches that may be'compres'sed to one and a half inches, would allow its use in molding a wide range of panels. Smaller and larger sized forms 3 may be made, such as smaller sizes for very thin type panels that are to be laminated.

There is accurate modular spacing means for spacing stiifembeddable reinforcing strand rods, bars or wires 4. There are stiff connector means for connecting the reinforcing strands 4 to the pin portions 7aof the supportfasteners 7. A strand 4 has a connector Welded to each end, the connectors being an eyelet or eye connector, like the eye shown in my Patent No.-3,l61,938, on one end and a clevis connector 4b'on the other end. The connectors provide a clevis-like pin connected interlocking means for joining building panels to each other at erection.

The connection of the strands 4 to the support-fasteners 7 allows tensioning of the reinforcing strands 4. All the ends of the strands 4 on one side edge and one end edge of a rectangular panel each have an'eye. The ends of strands 4. on the other side edge and the otherend edge of the panel each have a clevis 4b.

A modular unit is used for spacing the reinforcing strands 4 and for sizing of the panel. With this modular system, the reinforcing spacings are standardized for various types of construction on which it is to be used. Only a half module space is used from the corners of the panel 1 and the like to the first uniformly spaced reinforcing strand so that when erected, half module spaces on adjourning panels form a whole module space.

The edge form 3 is described fully in my Patents No. 2,971,237 and No. 3,161,938. Spaced holes 3g for the reinforcing strands 4 may be punched through-the form 3. A slit fif is cut from each hole 3g to the bottom of the form 3. Splicing means for a form assembly is described and shown in my Patent No. 2,971,237. The form 3 .may have longitudinal holes 3c, 3d, and 32. The form 3 may be made of elastic plastic or rubber that is stiff enough so the upper portion of the form will not sag from its own weight. The form 3 may be made of a more elastic, weaker plastic or rubber that is reinforced with fabric or with spring steel wire 3k.

Most of the panel sections to be cast require keying grooves in all their edges, so that panels can be keyed together with mortar grout at the time of erection. The form 3 has a protruding medial portion which is the groove mold offset 3a.

The form 3 may have a retainer offset 311, shown in FIGS; 2 and 3, to engage or catch against the spacer Wires Sand .thus restrain the form 3 from tending to rise due to the lower portion of the form pressuring upwardly. The offset 311 would be particularly useful when the form 3 has slits 3f; the slits 31 would otherwise broaden and allow the form 3 to rise unhampered by the reinforcing strands, 4 and by the spacer strand M. The elastic form 3 may be stretched and compressed to pull it free of a semi-cured panel 1, spacer strand M, and reinforcing strands 4, Without disturbing the pin 7a.

The form 3 with slits 3 and offset 312 may be positioned cnstrands 4 a distance from the support-fasteners 7, then be slid into the position shown. in FIG. 2,

aa iaev u thereby allowing the offset 3b to be squeezed under the spacer wire 5.

The spacer wires are attached to the splice bars 6 by welding or by other suitable means to form an accurate pliable metal spacing strand M. The spacer strand M is positioned along the full length of the form strip 3 at substantially the central portion of the form 3. Each bat-dh'as 'a slotted hole 6a. The holes 6a are accurately spaced a module apart to match the spacing of the holes 3g in the form 3. My Patent No. 3,161,938 describes .a spacer strand in detail. Panels of limited accuracy may .be molded with forms 3 without the spacer strand M.

Since an eye is thinner than a clevis 412, an adapter, like the adapter shown in my Patent No. 3,161,938, is slid onto an eye so the eye is positioned and aligned properly. The clevises 4b and eyes are shouldered due to the long stems or rectangular rod strand portions 4s being narrower than the main portions of the clevises and eyes, the wire 4 being welded to the stem. The strands 4s being strong resist forces caused by rough handling that tends to bend or twist the clevises and eyes out of alignment. The shoulders on the clevises and eyes are for allowing forkedwedges to be driven between the cured concrete of the panel land the main portions of these connectors to tension the strands 4. The pin-plate portions of the clevis 4!) may be bent outwardly temporarily. after the panel 1 is removed from the confines of the form assembly, to allow a panel to be joined more easily to another panel.

When a semi-cured panel 1 is to be allowed to cure fora long period, the spacer strand M and the strip 3 may be pulled free so they may be used to mold other panels. The elasticity of the form 3 allows the form 3 to be stretched to permit it to be pulled free of the edging ofthe paneli. V

' Pretensioning or so-called prestressing for use with this type of form means is described in my Patent No. 3,161,938.

Thepanels 1 may be made without prestressing the wires 4. Such panels would be suitable for much construction work, particularly when the panels are to be ,us ed'in arch construction.

When curved wires 4, for a curved panel, are positioned above the base 2 or above the convex surface of a cured form panel 1, they may be supported by chairs, as described in my Patent No. 3,161,938.

' The support-fasteners 7 have means to perform the following functions: selectively gauge the effective depth of the form 3 and thus the thickness of the panel 1; confine the elastic edge form 3 to prevent the form from being pushed out of alignment by the pressure of fresh concrete against it; restrain the form 3 from tiiting; align and support the assemblies F2 and the like that are above theassembly F1; support, anchor, selectively position and tension the reinforcing strands 4; and support the spacer strand M and means to coact with a restrainer or holder 11, to hold the reinforcing strands 4 and the spacer strand M in position untilthe removal of a cured panel causes therestrainers to automatically uncouple the reinforcing 4 and spacer strand M from the fasteners 7. The fastener 7 is fastened to the template bar 2b with a bolt 8. A pointed dowel 9 may also be used to position the fastener 7 to the template bar 211. The dowel 9 has a nut to grip the fastener 7. A collar on the stem of dowel 9 engages the underside of the fastener 7. Bolts 10 may be used .to attach and align the fasteners 7 of the assembly F1 to the fasteners 7 of the assembly F2. Dowels 9 align the upper and lower fasteners 7. The pointed dowels 9 are self-centering with the holes in the adjacent forrn assembly.

A wire support-fastener 7 may be made of steel. The wire 7 is formed so as to provide means to perform functions that the more costly support-fastener, described in my 'Patent'No. 3,161,938, can perform. The surfaces of the wire 7 that contact each other may be welded or otherwise fastened together. A pin portion 7a is integra with the fastener 7. The fastener 7 has a bottom portion 7b that is engageable with a base 2' or the like. The fastener 7 may have a top portion 70, which may be like the bottom portion 711. The bottom 7b and the top may be formed so as to provide an inner hole 7d and an outer hole 7e in each portion. The holes 7d and 7e may be used to secure the fastener 7 to a base Z or the like, also to like fasteners that may be positioned above and below it. The pin portion 7a is reinforced by the looped portion 7) that is bent around it. The looped portion 7 also acts as a seat for a clevis 412 or the like. The lower crimped portions 7g are an adjusting means to vary the height of the pin portion 7a above the bottom portion 7b. The crimps 7g may be squeezed towards each other with a pair of tongs to flatten the bends or crimps to an extent to cause the pin 7a to rise. The crimps 7g may be crimped to a greater degree with another tool to widen them to lower the pin 7a. The upper crimped portions 712 may be squeezed towards each other to increase the overall height of the fastener 7. The crimps 7h may be crimped to a greater degree to spread them wider to decrease the overall height of the fastener 7. The diagonal arm portions 7k and 7m support the pin portion 7a. The arm portions 7k and 7121 may be bent with a tool, as shown in FIG. 9, to provide take-up mean-s to tension the reinforcing 4. The clevis 422 on the reinforcing strand 4 may be forced onto the pin portion 7a to cause the arms 7k and 7m to be tensioned. The tensioning would stretch the portions 7k and 7m thus tending to straighten them. The wire used to make the fastener 7 may be made of steel that is hard enough to give limited spring action to at least the arms 7k and 7m. The crimped portions 7g and 7h and the adjacent portions of the bottom portion 7b and the top portion 70 may be non-resilient to allow the bottom portion 7b and the top portion 7c to be gripped with a tool and be twisted to tilt them so they can be made to bear against a warped or curved base 2 or the like.

A modified fastener that is similar to fastener 7 may be formed by other than wire means including casting and forging. Although the fastener 7 is described as being made of one piece of wire, modified fasteners (not shown) may obviously be made by welding a plurality of wires and the like together to form a fastener that is like the fastener 7.

A modified fastener (not shown) that is similar to fastener 7 may be made with pieces of wire that are welded together and to plate-s that act as bottom and top portions.

A restrainer or holder 11 may be used with each clevise connector 4b or eye connector, along with the spacer strand M, so as to restrain the connectors from being accidentally or wantonly pressured and uncoupled, or from being moved out of their true position with respect to the pin 7a, particularly being moved by creeping action, during violent vibration action when the assembly is positioned vertically while pouring and vibrating the concrete.

A restrainer 11 is shown in detail in FIG. 10. The restrainer 11 may be made of metallic wire, which, prefer ably, may be made of spring steel. Non-resilient wire may be used to make a less effective restrainer 11. A restrainer 11 may be easily coupled to the fastener '7, clevis collector 412 or eye connector, and to spacer strand M, before the elastic strip 3 is moved into its final position.

. A restrainer 11 has a looped restrainer pin portion 11a that projects downwardly through the elongated slotted hole 6a in the plate 6, and the slotted hole in the clevis connector 4b or the eye connector. A restrainer 11 has a horizontal looped portion 11b that is positionedabove the plate 6. The horizontal portion 11b bears against the elastic strip 3 and keeps the restrainer 11 from pivoting laterally. The restrainer 11 has a lower hooked portion 11c that is flexed to allow it to be hooked onto the iagonal portion 7k of the fastener 7. An end portion or clasp lid is pushed into position against the underside of the clevis 4!; or the like. The end of the clasp 11d forms a bearing surface against the clevis 4b. The clevis 4b or the like may have a small socket-like hole to engage the bearing surface, so as to keep the end portion, 11d, from slipping laterally. When a cured panel 1 is pulled with a crane, away from the form assembly F1 and the like, the lower portion of the restrainer 11 flexes and allows the hooked portion 11c to automatically uncouple from the fastener portion 7k. The restrainer 11 maintains the binding action between the clevis connector 4b or an eye connector, and the spacer strand M, as the end portion 11d remains pressured against the underside of the connector.

A restrainer 11 that is made of non-resilient metal would yield when the panel 1 is pulled by a crane. The hooked portion 11c would deform without rebounding.

The pull of a crane in lifting a cured panel 1 causes the elastic strip 3, the spacer strand M and the restrainer 11 to move with the cured panel 1. The restrainer pin portion 11a prevents the elastic strip '3 from disengaging from the panel 1. The restrainer 11 can remain coupled to the spacer M and to the clevis connector 4b or the like to hold the elastic strip 3 in place during shipping and storage of the panel 1, to protect the panel edging.

The form assembly P1 with a cured panel 1 engaged to it may be over-turned with a crane, causing the panel 1 to automatically uncouple itself by falling freely away from its engagement with the form assembly F1 and its pin means.

Wire mesh fabric may be used for reinforcing rather than wires 4, as described in my Patent No. 3,161,938. Reinforcing rod anchors are welded to the embeddable strand portions 4s of clevises 4b and eyes. The wire fabric may be stretched and be fastened to the anchors. Fiber glass may be embedded in the concrete for reinforcing and/or insulation.

When the form assemblies are used to mold panels that are tapered in thickness, the form assemblies used to mold the top and bottom surfaces of the tapered panel are variably spread apart, the form 3 being depressed to a tapered shape. The fasteners 7 would be suitably adjusted to support the tilted form assemblies to maintain the selective variable thicknesses due to the tilting.

The fluid concrete for a panel 1 may be inserted into a form assembly by various means. The concrete may be inserted through the access holes 1c that are cored in the panels 1. Concrete can be deposited within the confines of the form 3 of an assembly before a complete form assembly is used to cap the fluid concrete. The excess concrete is forced out of the holes 10. The holes 10 may also be used for inserting vibrators. An access unit for inserting concrete through the elastic form means is de scribed in my Patent No. 2,971,237.

In a typical joint of the interlocked panels like panel 1, a pin or bolt connects each eye to a clevis 4b. The panels 1 are keyed together with the grout mortar.

A panel similar to panel 1 may be molded with only a portion of the panel edging being molded with elastic form 3. The other portion of the panel edging may be molded by other suitable form means, including edges of like panels that are positioned alongside the space for molding a panel, so as to mold the edging.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided economical form'means that is capable of performing a wide variety of operations to suit many conditions.

While I have illustrated and described several embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that these are by way of illustration only, and thatvarious changes and modifications may be made within the contemplation of my invention and within the scope of the following claims.

I claim: 7

1. A form for molding at least a portion of a thin cementitious building panel having stiff embeddable metal strand means spaced along at least the edging of said guilding panel portion, said form comprising an elongated elastic strip, a base for supporting said strip, said strip being sufficiently rigid so as to prevent sagging of its top portion when supported on said base, said strip having an effective height substantially equal to the thickness of said building panel portion to be cast, said strip having a length at least sufficient to mold said edging of said building panel portion, said strip being sufficiently flexible so as to be bendable in all directions to allow it to follow the contours of curved and fiat planes, said strip confining the fresh cementitious aggregate of said building panel portion deposited onto said base and defining the shape of said edging, said strip having spaced transverse hole-s through an intermediate portion of its height. and substantially parallel to the plane of said base, said embeddable metal strand means having end portions extending throughsaid transverse hoies, a plurality of fastener means disposed along the length of said strip for fastening said strip to said base and for anchoring the said end portions of said embeddable metal strand means, said end portions including connector means, each of said connector means including aperture means, said fastener means including integral fastener pin meansfor coupling said connector means wherein said anchoring is provided, said fastener pin means accurately positioning said connectorv means so that said aperture means face towards the planes of major surfaces of said building panel portion, each of said fastener pin means including an integral end portion projecting outwardly away from said base, and a plurality of restrainers disposed along the said length of said strip, each of said restrainers being positioned adjacent to one of said transverse holes, each of said restrainers including a restrainer pin portionthat penetrates into one of said aperture means, each of. said restrainers including an extending portion that extends. outwardly from said restrainer pin portion, whereby said elastic strip and said building panel. portion are held together when they are removed from the confines of said spaced fastener means without disturbing said fastener pin means, so as to allow said strip to protect said building panel portion during shipping and storage operations.

2. A form as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said extending portions includes a hooked portion, each of said fastener means including a grippable portion to which one of said hooked portions is engageable so as to restrain each of said connector means from uncoupling from said fastener pin means when said embeddable strand means are pressured by minor forces that are parallel to said fastener pin means, each of said hooked portions having yieldable means to allow it to become automatically uncoupled from said fastener means when a great force is used to remove said building panel portion from said confines of said fastener means.

3. A form as recited in claim 2, together with a 1ongitudinally extending, flexible metallic spacing wire means mounted substantially centrallyof said height of said strip and in engagement with said connector means, said spacing wire means being bendable in every direction and accurately spacing said connector means, said spacing wire means having spaced, spacing aperture means coupled to said fastener pin means, wherein each of said restrainer pin portions penetrates one of said spaced, spacing aperture means, wherein said hooked portion and said extending portions are securely joined together, and whereinsaid extending portion is securely joined to the upper pin portion of said restrainer pin portion and said hooked portion is positioned lower than said upper pin portion, whereby said spacing wire means is held in secure engagement with said connector means, and whereby said building panel portion can be automatically removed from said confines of said spaced fastener means without disturbing said fastener pin means.

9 10 4. A form as recited in claim 3, wherein each of said References Cited by the Examiner restrainers includes a clasp portion adjacent to the lower portion of said restrainer pin, each of said clasp portions UNITED STATES PATENTS having a bearing surface that bears against and restrains 2,920,475 1/ 1960 Graham 5-118 one of said connector means from disengaging from said 5 2,971,237 2/ 1961 Graham 249-33 spacing wire means, whereby said spacing wire means 3 1 1,933 12 19 4 Graham 249 .13

and said strip are held securely to said building panel portion when said building panel P n is removed from J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner. said confines of said spaced fastener means without disturbing said fastener Pin means 10 G. A. KAP, Asszstant Examiner. 

1. A FORM FOR MOLDING AT LEAST A PORTION OF A THIN CEMENTITIOUS BUILDING PANEL HAVING STIFF EMBEDDABLE METAL STRAND MEANS SPACED ALONG AT LEAST THE EDGING OF SAID GUILDING PANEL PORTION, SAID FORM COMPRISING AN ELONGATED ELASTIC STRIP, A BASE FOR SUPPORTING SAID STRIP, SAID STRIP BEING SUFFICIENTLY RIGID SO AS TO PREVENT SAGGING OF ITS TOP PORTION WHEN SUPPORTED ON SAID BASE, SAID STRIP HAVING AN EFFECTIVE HEIGHT SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE THICKNESS OF SAID BUILDING PANEL PORTION TO BE CAST, SAID STRIP HAVING A LENGTH AT LEAST SUFFICIENT TO MOLD SAID EDGING OF SAID BUILDING PANEL PORTION, SAID STRIP BEING SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLE SO AS TO BE BENDABLE IN ALL DIRECTIONS TO ALLOW IT TO FOLLOW THE CONTOURS OF CURVED AND FLAT PLANES, SAID STRIP CONFINING THE FRESH CEMENTITIOUS AGGREGATE OF SAID BUILDING PANEL PORTION DEPOSITED ONTO SAID BASE AND DEFINING THE SHAPE OF SAID EDGING, SAID STRIP HAVING SPACED TRANSVERSE HOLES THROUGH AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF ITS HEIGHT AND SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE PLANE OF SAID BASE, SAID EMBEDDABLE METAL STRAND MEANS HAVING END PORTIONS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID TRANSVERSE HOLES, A PLURALITY OF FASTENER MEANS DISPOSED ALONG THE LENGTH OF SAID STRIP FOR FASTENING SAID STRIP TO SAID BASE AND FOR ANCHORING THE SAID END PORTIONS OF SAID EMBEDDABLE METAL STRAND MEANS, SAID END PORTIONS INCLUDING CONNECTOR MEANS, EACH OF SAID CONNECTOR MEANS INCLUDING APERTURE MEANS, EACH FASTENER MEANS INCLUDING INTEGRAL FASTENER PIN MEANS FOR COUPLING SAID CONNECTOR MEANS WHEREIN SAID ANCHORING IS PROVIDED, SAID FASTENER PIN MEANS ACCURATELY POSITIONING SAID CONNECTOR MEANS SO THAT SAID APERTURE MEANS FACE TOWARDS THE PLANES OF MAJOR SURFACES OF SAID BUILDING PANEL PORTION, EACH OF SAID FASTENER PIN MEANS INCLUDING AN INTEGRAL END PORTION PROJECTING OUTWARDLY AWAY FROM SAID BASE, AND A PLURALITY OF RESTRAINERS DISPOSED ALONG THE SAID LENGTH OF SAID STRIP, EACH OF SAID RESTRAINERS BEING POSITIONED ADJACENT TO ONE OF SAID TRANSVERSE HOLES, EACH OF SAID RESTRAINERS INCLUDING A RESTRAINER PIN PORTION THAT PENETRATES INTO ONE OF SAID APERTURE MEANS, EACH OF SAID RESTRAINERS INCLUDING AN EXTENDING PORTION THAT EXTENDS OUTWARDLY FROM SAID RESTRAINER PIN PORTION, WHEREBY SAID ELASTIC STRIP AND SAID BUILDING PANEL PORTION ARE HELD TOGETHER WHEN THEY ARE REMOVED FROM THE CONFINES OF SAID SPACED FASTENER MEANS WITHOUT DISTURBING SAID FASTENER PIN MEANS, SO AS TO ALLOW SAID STRIP TO PROTECT SAID BUILDING PANEL PORTION DURING SHIPPING SAND STORAGE OPERATIONS. 